Deep with the Smokey Mountains, the Aniyunwiya people say, west of the headwaters of teh Ocanaluftee River, there is a lake called Ataga'hi. No hunter has ever been to this lake, for it is wherethe animals go to heal themselves whenthey are wounded. Some men say tey have been near to that place. As they walked through the mists across what seemed to be a barren flat, they began to hear the wings of water birds and the sound of water falling. But they could not find where Ataga'hi

 

Some of those who have lived as friends of the animals have been granted a vision of the lake. After praying nad fasting all throught the night, they have seen hotspringsflowing down from the high cliffs of the mountains into the flowing streams that feed Atagi'hi. Then just at dawn, they have caught a glimnpse of wide purple waters and the birds and animals bathing in those waters and growing well again.

But as soon as they have seen it, that vision has faded away, for the animals keep the lake invisible to all hunters.

 

It is said that there are bear tracks everywhere around Atagi'hi, for the Bear is a great healer. One of those who saw Atagi'hi in the old days said that she saw a wounded bear with a great spear wound in its side plunge into the water and come out whole and strong on teh other shore.

 

It is hard today to see Atagi'hi, and some think that its waters have dried. But it is still there the Cherokee say, hidden deep within the mountains and guraded by the animals. If you treat all the animals with the respect, live well and pray, it might be that someday you will see the purple waters of Atagi'hi, too.